fusillade

noun

fu·​sil·​lade ˈfyü-sə-ˌläd 

-ˌlād,

ˌfyü-sə-ˈläd,

-ˈlād,

-zə-

1

a

: a number of shots fired simultaneously or in rapid succession

b

: something that gives the effect of a fusillade

a fusillade of rocks and bottles

2

: a spirited outburst especially of criticism

Synonyms

• barrage
• blitz
• blitzkrieg
• bombardment
• cannonade
• drumbeat
• drumfire
• flurry
• hail
• salvo
• shower
• storm
• volley

Examples of fusillade in a Sentence

A fusillade of bullets filled the courtyard.

responded calmly to the fusillade of criticism leveled at his design for the memorial

Recent Examples on the Web

The Kremlin followed the former with the latter Monday, sending residents of the Ukrainian capital scurrying for cover from ballistic and cruise missiles in the late morning after a drone and missile fusillade several hours before. —Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, 29 May 2023

Israel said the three Islamic Jihad leaders killed Tuesday were responsible for several terrorist attacks inside Israel and that one was primarily responsible for a fusillade of more than 100 rockets fired into Israel last week. —Hazem Balousha, Washington Post, 10 May 2023

Roughly a dozen more found a target, part of a fusillade of the more than 600 that Russia has aimed at infrastructure across Ukraine since October. —Marc Santora, New York Times, 30 Nov. 2022

The cost of launching a fusillade of one-star reviews on Goodreads to tank a book before it is even published is already next to zero. —Suzanne Nossel, The New Republic, 31 July 2023

The planned 17-minute display became a startling, fiery fusillade of less than a minute. —Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 July 2023

Just after Doucouré’s goal, as Goodison Park was fizzing and bouncing and melting in euphoria, a fusillade of fireworks exploded in the sky just above the Gwladys Street Stand. —Rory Smith, New York Times, 28 May 2023

During a similar brutal fusillade Tuesday, in which about 100 missiles and drone strikes were launched against Ukraine, one missile - now believed to have come from Ukrainian air defenses - landed in eastern Poland, killing two men in the village of Przewodow. —David L. Stern, Anchorage Daily News, 17 Nov. 2022

Yet Trump’s multiyear fake-news fusillade against CNN has paid off. —Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 7 June 2023

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Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, from fusiller "to shoot with a musket volley" (from fusil fusil entry 2 + -iller, causative prefix, going back to Latin -iculāre, derivative of -iculum, instrumental and diminutive suffix) + -ade -ade

First Known Use

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

fusillade

noun

fu·​sil·​lade ˈfyü-sə-ˌläd 

-ˌlād,

-zə-;

ˌfyü-sə-ˈläd,

-ˈlād,

-zə-

1

: a number of shots fired at the same time or rapidly one after another

2

: something like a fusillade of shots

a fusillade of rocks

3

: an outburst especially of criticism